Posted by We could wait until the end of the day’s play before giving the latest round of County Championship matches a mid-point once-over, but why wait? Whatever we write will be out of date soon enough anyway. Might as well allow it to become so almost instantly.
Keep on Keaton on
Let’s start with the most impressive performance so far, which came about in the least important fixture. Fourth and fifth in the table respectively, Surrey and Durham probably aren’t playing for much of any consequence. Keaton Jennings did however score an unbeaten double hundred against an attack comprising a right-arm swing bowler, a left-arm swing bowler, a right-arm fast bowler, a left-arm fast bowler, a right-arm finger spinner and a left-arm finger spinner. Even if it weren’t his seventh hundred of the season, that would be a lot of boxes ticked. He is averaging 72. In the first division. As an opener.
Lancashire v Middlesquelch
We’re, what, 15 miles from Old Trafford and there hasn’t been a spot of rain, which rather underlines the fact that Middlesex must be dragging their own clouds round with them. In all honesty, half the time it’s not been rain but humidity which has derailed play. There’s so much moisture in the air, it’s actually become too thick for light to penetrate. On the occasions when the two teams have made it out to the middle, Lancashire have been doing their utmost to be accommodating hosts, shedding their wickets as if it were 2014 or 2015 – or indeed any year in the previous decade.
Somershock v Yorkshod
The best team in the land is doing a damn fine impression of the worst and Somerset are starting to believe that they could once again be narrowly denied the County Championship by a ridiculously slim margin right at the very death. Yorkshire are still a hundred and plenty behind with – at the time of writing, but almost certainly not when you are reading this – seven wickets remaining.
What does all of this mean?
It means there are two days to go in these matches and we should probably try and avoid thinking about the permutations until after they’ve finished.
Jesus – night just fell in an instant.
Looks like a November evening. Feels like a tropical jungle.
That’s the new advertising strapline for Visit Manchester sorted then.
It’s end of the world stuff. The streetlights near me all just came on at once, I think we’ve got flooding already. The Old Trafford outfield will need quite the drying out.
It was supposed to be sunny today, dagnabit.
On the bright side, I made it home just in time.
It’s like Sodom and Gomorrah here, except without the debauchery and stuff.
Hitched a ride back to my short-term digs, but managed to get pretty wet just running the five or six yards from the nearest possible drop off point to the door.
Lightening, thunder, Hippity hiding under the bedclothes…it’s chaos.
Weather forecast says tomorrow set glorious, so hopefully I can do most/all of my rounds on foot.
John Simpson’s catch to get rid of the dangerous-looking Buttler is worth seeking out on the highlights thingie.
So I still haven’t seen Hameed score a run, but I have now seen him dismissed. The kid Jones looks far from shoddy – at 20 he’s a veteran compared with Hameed I suppose http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/current/player/632173.html
This is Ged Ladd, at MediaCityUK, signing off.
Jennings’ double was the best kind of massive score: the kind where nobody else in the innings comes close (in this case, next best was 38).
SCENARIOS
Heard the one where Yorkshire deliberately lose to keep Somerset in the hunt, forcing Middlesex to prepare a result wicket next week?
They clearly had little confidence they could overhaul that gigantic one-point gap in the meantime.
Jones the Bat.
Also….. https://twitter.com/456513246/status/776058065296715776
(“As I understand it, there was a vote today and… the counties voted to embrace city cricket.”)
Yup. More on this later. Or tomorrow. Who knows which.
So have the turkeys voted for Christmas? I eagerly await being told. Also why did the Home of Corks get two votes?
gerrirightupyus Yorkshires, RIGHT up, best club in the world etc etc.